Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. will be "back in the fold" for the team in Week 3, according to coach Dan Quinn. Rodriguez has been a healthy scratch for the first two games of the season since the Commanders relied on Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Austin Ekeler, and Jeremy McNichols to handle the load in the backfield. With Ekeler (Achilles) lost for the season, there will be significant work available in the Washington backfield going forward. Croskey-Merritt will step in as the lead back, but Rodriguez and McNichols will mix in as well. Rodriguez had an impressive training camp and preseason and could carve out significant playing time in the new timeshare, even though Quinn made sure to emphasize that the team is comfortable with Croskey-Merritt in passing situations. At this point, Rodriguez is a waiver wire option in deep leagues and definitely someone to watch in all formats to see how the timeshare is divied up in Week 3 against the Raiders.
Sep 16, 2025 9:47 AM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. is a healthy inactive for the second straight week to open the season in 2025 on Thursday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers. There were rumblings at the end of training camp that Rodriguez could have a significant early-down role alongside rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt after the team traded Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers, but that has not been the case. The 24-year-old RB has opened the year as the No. 4 behind Croskey-Merritt, veteran Austin Ekeler, and Jeremy McNichols. JCR has the most upside of any back in Washington's offense as the favorite for most of the early down work, while Ekeler has flex appeal in point-per-reception leagues. At least for another week, Rodriguez belongs on the waiver wire in 12-team fantasy formats.
Sep 11, 2025 7:06 PM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. served as a healthy inactive in the season opener against the Giants. Rodriguez emerged in training camp as well as preseason, and he was in the mix for touches in the backfield headed into Week 1 after the Brian Robinson Jr. trade. However, Washington ultimately opted to keep three running backs active on gameday and roll with the duo of rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt and veteran Austin Ekeler to handle the bulk of the snaps, with Jeremy McNichols mixing in and contributing on special teams. It could have been just a Week 1 situation where they wanted a sixth wide receiver active with Noah Brown still limited, and it looks different in future weeks. It is possible that Rodriguez is made active for Washington's marquee matchup in Green Bay, but they have also been consistent in their praise for Croskey-Merritt, and the belief is that he will eventually be their lead back. Rodriguez will remain in a depth role for now, but he will be a name to watch if injuries start to hit.
Sep 11, 2025 10:50 AM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (coach's decision) is a healthy scratch for Sunday's Week 1 contest against the New York Giants. It's no surprise that Washington is only carrying three active running backs on Sunday, but it's a bit stunning to see that Rodriguez is the odd man out. He drew praise from the coaching staff for his ability to step into a larger role this offseason, and he showed bursts of upside last year, such as Week 13, when he rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown. Austin Ekeler should lead the Washington backfield on Sunday while Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols also carve out significant roles.
Sep 7, 2025 11:43 AM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has had a strong training camp and preseason, which ultimately led to his inclusion on the final roster. Rodriguez could play a significant role as the primary early-down back in Week 1 against the Giants. He proved to be up to the task in his small sample of touches last season, leading all running backs with at least 25 rushes in Success Rate at 57%. His peripherals are all very encouraging, and then he showed up to camp after off-season training with a transformed body, looking faster and leaner. The results have been positive with him reaching 20 MPH in practice more times this year than ever before, including on a breakaway run against the Bengals in Washington's second preseason game. The backfield will be by committee, and there is a lot of uncertainty for how it will all shake out. Rodriguez is a worthwhile stash to hold through Week 1 to see what happens, but not a startable option.
Sep 6, 2025 1:42 AM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. was deployed as the No. 4 option during the team drills on Wednesday. According to JP Finaly of NBC4, during a QB/RB drill, Rodriguez was the fourth running back to take the field. Veteran Austin Ekeler continued to slot in as the top option while Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols served as the No. 2 and No. 3 options. This situation is worth closely monitoring as Rodriguez was initially listed as the third option on the depth chart earlier in the week, but appears to have been jumped by the seventh-round rookie, Croskey-Merritt. Last season, Rodriguez had a limited role in the offense but showed potential at times, posting a strong 4.9 YPC. Given his unknown role in the season opener, he is best left for deeper 14+ team formats as a high-risk flex option.
Sep 3, 2025 4:23 PM EST
Josh Taylor of A to Z Sports thinks that Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is likely to roll out running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. as the lead back in Week 1 of the regular season on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants. Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt has gotten a lot of hype this summer, but the Commanders could use a committee backfield approach involving Rodriguez, Croskey-Merritt, Austin Ekeler, receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. and quarterback Jayden Daniels. Rodriguez is an experienced back that has surprising speed in addition to being a power back. He ranked second in 2024 in PFF's elusive rating in fifth in yards after contact. It doesn't mean that Croskey-Merritt won't be a huge factor in 2025, though, and the Commanders haven't had a home run threat like him in a while. Rodriguez is rostered in 6% of Yahoo leagues and is worth watching if you already need RB depth.
Sep 1, 2025 7:51 PM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. worked on shedding weight to improve his speed this offseason. His efforts have seemingly paid off. The third-year professional, who didn't make the initial 53-man roster in 2024, impressed the Washington coaching staff enough that they were comfortable trading starter Brian Robinson Jr. According to The Athletic, Rodriguez went from 235 to 222 pounds and ran faster than 20 miles per hour "more times in training camp than I have in almost my whole life." Rodriguez projects to have a role in a three-man running back committee in Washington. Veteran Austin Ekeler and seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt round out the trio. Rodriguez may get the fewest opportunities out of the three, but he is worth a late-round fantasy football draft selection to see how the division of labor plays out.
Aug 31, 2025 7:37 PM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. rushed for 34 yards on five carries in the final preseason game against the Ravens. Rodriguez started the game and consistently picked up big chunks of yards. The 24-year-old finished the preseason averaging nearly seven yards per carry, with 17 rushes for 118 yards. Rodriguez fits the role of a hammer and short-yardage back that can get the tough yards, but also had gaudy production in the SEC at Kentucky. He averaged over 100 rushing yards per game in both of his last two seasons. Additionally, he's showing improved burst and explosiveness in camp this year, saying that he's already hit 20 MPH more times this year than all of last year, according to Hayley Salvatore of Commanders.com. Brian Robinson is now officially dealt to San Francisco, and Rodriguez is set to be in the mix for early down touches in the Washington backfield. Touchdowns will be the path to fantasy value for Rodriguez in what could be a murky backfield.
Aug 23, 2025 11:19 PM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. will likely be used in short-yardage situations and at the goal line this season, according to Commanders head coach Dan Quinn. With Brian Robinson Jr. almost certainly on his way out in Washington, the team appears to be comfortable with a committee of Austin Ekeler, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rodriguez Jr., and Jeremy McNichols at the running back position. In 22 career NFL games over the last two seasons, Rodriguez Jr. has 86 carries for 420 yards and four touchdowns. He could be worth a late-round dart throw in deep leagues given his presumed role and the opportunity to earn more touches in Washington.
Aug 21, 2025 2:01 PM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. rushed for 62 yards on six carries Monday night against the Bengals. Rodriguez ripped off a 40-yard run on Washington's opening drive, with the offensive line executing perfectly and him bursting through the hole. Rodriguez is a downhill runner who consistently falls forward and gains yards after contact. In a small sample of 35 carries last season, he led all running backs in success rate and ranked fifth in yards after contact per attempt. The Kentucky product profiles as an early down, hammer back that should be a good eventual replacement for Brian Robinson in Washington. He should now have a solid chance of sticking on the 53-man roster and complements Austin Ekeler and Jacory Croskey-Merritt well. Rodriguez is worth monitoring in deep leagues and as the Washington backfield gets sorted out.
Aug 19, 2025 1:15 AM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. remains a desperation play heading into a Week 18 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Last weekend, Rodriguez found the back of the end zone and added 16 yards on five attempts. For the second straight week, Rodriguez saw more rushing attempts than the presumed No.2 option, Jeremy McNichols. However, Rodriguez may revert to the No.3 role if Austin Ekeler (concussion) returns to action. He was able to practice in full all week and is listed as questionable which suggests he is nearing a return. If Ekeler does not return, Rodriguez would be viewed as a high-risk touchdown-dependent RB3. However, if Ekeler does return, fantasy managers should not view Rodriguez as a viable play facing the Dallas Cowboys as he would only see a handful of snaps.
Jan 3, 2025 5:29 PM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. ran for 16 yards and a score on five carries on Sunday evening in their victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Rodriguez also tallied 12 yards on his lone reception. The sophomore running back punched in his score in the fourth quarter on a two-yard carry. While Brian Robinson Jr. saw the vast majority of the attempts, it is promising to see Rodriguez's name called late in the game. In this game, he logged four more attempts than the presumed No.2 option Jeremy McNichols. The Kentucky product has seen a slight uptick in opportunities with Austin Ekeler (concussion) on the injured reserve over the past month. However, with Ekeler nearing a return, fantasy managers should not expect him to have a consistent role in the offense moving forward. For now, he projects to be a desperation flex play in Week 18 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Dec 29, 2024 11:57 PM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. will look to claim the No. 2 role behind Brian Robinson Jr. this weekend but is not a viable option in standard formats facing the New Orleans Saints. In Week 13 with Austin Ekeler (concussion) sitting out, Rodriguez logged seven more carries than the presumed No. 2 option Jeremy McNichols. Rodriguez performed very well, averaging just over 7.0 yards per carry in that contest and even added a late goal-line touchdown. While Rodriguez could see opportunities late in the game if the Commanders have a sizeable lead, fantasy managers should only view the 24-year-old as a high-risk flex option in deep 14-plus-team formats, as Robinson will see most of the work on the afternoon.
Dec 13, 2024 5:30 PM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. ran for an impressive 94 yards with a score on 13 attempts during their Week 13 victory over the Titans. While Brian Robinson Jr. saw most of the opportunities early on, as the Commanders began to pull away, the 24-year-old saw a hefty workload late in the game. It was important to note that Rodriguez saw more attempts than the presumed No. 2 option, Jeremy McNichols, as Austin Ekeler (concussion) is currently on the IR. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should continue to monitor Rodriguez's workload as he could become a viable low-end flex option in deeper formats if he cements himself as the backup behind Robinson while Ekeler remains out.
Dec 1, 2024 4:59 PM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has moved up the depth chart with Austin Ekeler (concussion) landing on the injured reserve. Rodriguez was cut by the Commanders last week but signed back to the practice squad. He figures to serve as the third string back for the Week 13 matchup against the Tennessee Titans. That being said, Brian Robinson Jr. and Jeremy McNichols should see a majority of the snaps in the backfield. Rodriguez might see a few touches, but isn't worth starting in fantasy formats in Week 13.
Dec 1, 2024 9:30 AM EST
The Washington Commanders announced on Tuesday that they signed running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. to their active 53-man roster from their practice squad. Both RBs Brian Robinson Jr. (ankle) and Austin Ekeler (concussion) were injured in the Week 12 loss to the division-rival Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and may not be available to play this Sunday in Week 13 against the Tennessee Titans. In addition to adding Rodriguez to the active roster, Washington worked out veteran RBs James Robinson and Boston Scott for additional insurance with it looking like they'll be without one or both of B-Rob and Ekeler this weekend. If they are both out, expect Rodriguez to at least be the RB2 behind Jeremy McNichols against Tennessee. Even in the event that happens, the 24-year-old will be hard to recommend as anything more than a desperation RB3/flex in the deepest fantasy leagues.
Nov 26, 2024 7:47 PM EST
With Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) returning to action on Thursday night against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles, Chris Rodriguez Jr. is a healthy inactive. Robinson missed the team's previous two games, which afforded Rodriguez 13 carries for 56 yards as a change-of-pace option behind Austin Ekeler. With B-Rob back in the fold, the Commanders will roll with Robinson, Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols as their three backs against Philly. The 24-year-old Rodriguez has played in only four games in 2024 in his second year in the league, with all his statistics coming in the last two games with Robinson sidelined. Obviously, the former sixth-rounder in 2023 out of Kentucky is off the fantasy radar.
Nov 14, 2024 7:13 PM EST
Washington Commanders kicker Chris Rodriguez Jr. has been signed to the active roster ahead of the Week 10 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rodriguez is back on the active roster with Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) being ruled out for this weekend. The expectation is that Austin Ekeler and Rodriguez will split up the backfield duties for Washington. Last week, Rodriguez carried the ball 11 times for 52 yards in the win over the New York Giants. He'll get a tougher challenge against the Steelers defense this week, but he could have some desperation flex value for Week 10.
Nov 9, 2024 6:49 PM EST
Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. could see increased opportunities as No.1 running back Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) is listed as questionable and is in danger of missing his second-straight game. Last weekend, Rodriguez surprisingly saw more attempts than the presumed No.3 option Jeremy McNichols. In this game, Rodriguez tallied a team-high 52 yards off 11 attempts. However, the Kentucky product is still on the practice squad and would need to be elevated before Sunday's game in order to suit up. If the Commanders decide to leave him off the roster, fantasy managers should expect Jeremy McNichols to serve as the backup behind Austin Ekeler and could be worth a look as a desperation flex in deeper formats.
Nov 8, 2024 6:02 PM EST
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